STATE OF TEXAS — The U.S. Justice Department rejected the controversial Texas voter identification law that would have required residents to produce a photo ID in order to vote.

The burden of proof was on the state to show that the law was not discriminatory and the Justice Department found that the law would have unfairly restricted the voting rights of minorities. The ruling from the department was hailed by Cameron County Vice Chairman Jared Hockema as just, "The positives are access to voting is preserved, the barrier to voting has been struck down, access to voting is preserved. What really is at stake to me is the integrity of the elections the integrity to our democracy. Will everyone, regardless of their circumstance, regardless of their race, have the same right to go in and cast their vote. Will they have that right and that's what's at stake and today the Justice Department came down in favor of that."

Under the federal voting rights act, Texas is one of fifteen states that must have Justice Department approval for any changes in the voting law.